This invention relates to the field of apparatus intended to pre-bend the counters of shoes during the manufacture thereof, i.e., to give a quasi final shape to the back portions of shoes. The bending of the counters, which constitutes one of numerous steps in the process of making shoes is effected just before assembly of the toe portion of the shoes in a fabrication line. The invention relates more particularly to improvements made in known apparatus for shaping of counters.
In apparatus so far designed for shaping the back portion of a shoe, bending is performed using a shaper by introducing the back portion of the shoe, without its insole, on a metal last (or punch), then putting this last in contact with the shaper (or curved element) under pressure. Generally, the apparatus works by pairs of shoes and therefore is constituted by two shaping stations on the same frame. It is possible to provide, in the upper portion of the apparatus, two stations for heating the material which is to form the respective counters, activating glue if present on one of the elements of the shoe. The two shaping stations are conveniently positioned below the respective heating stations.
In apparatus of the above-described type, safety problems arise because manual placing of the shoe elements on the respective lasts and the very rapid pressing which follows virtually immediately during the shaping operation, which is effected in a single phase. Further, if the shoe element has been poorly positioned on the metal last or if it moves after it has been placed on the last, the bending is not suitable and the shoe preform must be discarded.